John Lynch, aka "Little John" just made the New England Patriots that much better. LJ played football AND baseball at Stanford when I was a freshmen on the baseball team. John is a 9-time All Pro safety. He was a "sandwich" pick in the 1992 draft, the first pick of the Florida Marlins that year. John is an all-around great guy with the competitive tenacity that NFL guys describe as like the Hall-of-Famer, Ronnie Lott.

One thing I can tell you, having worked with Ronnie on a few sponsorships and non-profit programs while I was at Microsoft and WebTV - both men have that laid-back and quiet politeness off of the field that is disarming and stark contrast to their play on the field. And, both are widely known as great locker-room guys. John was very encouraging to me and all of the younger students athletes at Stanford.

But, I've seen John compete -- up close. He had a type of intensity and borderline lunacy that makes you wonder if he is playing with a full deck. It's intimidating, even when you're wearing the same uniform.

Enjoy Patriot fans. LJ might have lost a step at this age, but he is still one of the biggest hitters in the league.